Aylesbury's Oasis partnership receives vital donations from In Kind Direct

With the soaring costs of living and heating during the winter months, along with the financial strain families find themselves under in the run up to Christmas, many more people are turning to local charities for help.

In Kind Direct is now calling on more manufacturers and retailers to build product giving into their everyday operations, just like Amazon. This will benefit communities, their business and the environment – helping to tackle hygiene poverty and financial hardship, whilst supporting grassroots charities which are increasingly facing financial pressures.

Essential personal hygiene products, crockery, kitchen appliances and household electrical goods are among the items being donated by online retailer Amazon, distributed by UK-wide charity In Kind Direct.

Oasis Partnership says these items, including duvets, kettles, coffee, and personal hygiene products, make all the difference to the range of services they can offer to people who rely on their services.

Colin McGregor-Paterson, Oasis Partnership CEO, said:

"The products which we received from In Kind Direct, donated by Amazon, are a lifeline to us as they are items which we wouldn't ordinarily be able to afford to buy for our charity, so they really help us to manage our tight budget.

"We offer support to many families with a family member who has drug and alcohol addiction issues, along with ex-offenders and rough sleepers, helping them to get back into work or education and find accommodation.

“Many of the people who come to us for support struggle financially and are on benefits, so we are incredibly grateful for these quality products for people to use. We are able to give people a selection of these essential products, which they may not have been able to afford otherwise."

In Kind Direct is distributing more products than ever before, with local charities reporting back that the need and demand for these products from the people they support is increasing.

In 2017, In Kind Direct identified for the first time the issue of hygiene poverty in the UK; highlighting that with little money to cover the cost of everyday essential products, families are being forced to choose between buying food and personal hygiene and cleaning products.

Founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1996, In Kind Direct works with retailers and manufacturers to supply consumer goods to the charity sector.

Robin Boles, Chief Executive of In Kind Direct, says;

“Amazon is one of our most generous donors, donating close to £6 million worth of products to us at In Kind Direct, to distribute to thousands of small charities and community groups, reaching tens of thousands of end beneficiaries.

“We have seen a sharp rise in the number of people who need support from the charities we supply. It is clear that hygiene poverty, and extreme financial difficulties, are hitting families hard as they seek support.

“We know that there are £2 billion of unwanted, surplus consumer goods produced in the UK each year, according to research undertaken by us last year. This demonstrates the huge opportunity for more companies to follow Amazon’s example and help communities across the UK by donating their surplus consumer products to In Kind Direct, for us to deliver to the doors of charities across the UK.”